The Dragon Artifacts Book 1: Dragon Elixir
by Christian Rainer Mathis
Summary: Po and the Furious Five discover a secret hidden within the Dragon Scroll by accident, and Po learns that his destiny has not yet been fulfilled. A new threat is rising, and it must be supressed. T for language/violence/imagery.
1. Chapter 1: The Feeling

This plot bunny found me a bit ago, and now it's taking Big Mac bites out of my ass. I now have to comply with its wishes, because the pain is unbearable. Besides, this is probably going to develop into a series.

NOTE: this is my first fanfic: please be nice!

OOOOOOO

Po strolled through the Hall of Warriors, admiring the architecture of the grandiose room. He walked absent-mindedly up to the pool at the front. The petals floated on the water's surface, undisturbed, and reflect in the water was the golden dragon. Since Tai Lung had been defeated, the scroll had been replaced in the jaws of the beast.

But that day, something nagged at Po's senses. A sense of emptiness, that something wasn't finished, and it disturbed the panda.

"Is something on your mind, Po?" The soft tenor-baritone of Master Shifu softly echoed throughout the hall, and he turned round, happy to see his teacher.

"Yeah," Po replied, "Something doesn't seem right. It seems to have to do with the Dragon Scroll."

"Really? Things should be right."

"But it doesn't feel like it."

"What doesn't seem right, exactly?"

"It's like this weird emptiness, like something isn't finished. Ever feel a sixth sense?"

"Yes, sometimes. It seems to happen right before a vision."

"That's the feeling I have."

"Po, if you continue to have this feeling, or if something happens, let me know right away, with no further delay because of anything. The only reason that it should be delayed is if you are busy saving the valley when it happens. Got it?"

"Got it."

"Good. Let's go."

"To where?"

"To dinner. Aren't you hungry? We're going to your father's restaurant tonight." Without waiting for an answer, Master Shifu turned around and walked out, forcing the Dragon Warrior to follow.

OOOOOOO

The Furious Five and Shifu were seated at a table in Mr. Ping's restaurant. Upon their arrival, there had been a hub-bub over their presence by fans and the like, and soon it seemed as if the entire Valley was packed into the restaurant. Po and his father were in the kitchen, and Mantis and Monkey were cracking up the crowd gathered around the table with jokes.

"Hey Tigress, knock knock!" Mantis pressed, an evil glint in his eye.

Tigress' eyes flicked to the insect master, "Who's there?"

"Boo." Crane, Monkey, and Viper raised their brows, wondering whether Tigress would take the bait, or if she had even heard of the joke.

"Boo who?" A snigger drifted from the crowd.

"You big baby, I only said boo."

And the entire crowd roared with laughter. Tigress' face turned crimson, trying to kill Mantis with her glare. Monkey fell out of his chair, heaving hysterically, "I can't… believe… she fell… for that!" Shifu just shook his head, chuckling softly.

Just then, Po and Mr. Ping appeared, confused at the scene before them. They elbowed and excuse me'd their way through the gathering, arriving at last at the table, "What's happening here?" queried Po.

"Tigress fell for the boo-who joke. Who knew she was so soft inside?" The already angered tiger looked as if she would squish the praying mantis at one more prod. Mantis merely smiled at her, then cowed when she raised a fist. Po eyed her nervously as he distributed the bowls of noodle soup to his teammates.

"Okay, everyone spread out, autographs and interviews later!" Mr. Ping waved his stubby wings about, and the crowd complied. Po sat down, batting away the fans that lingered behind him. He set his own bowl down, and instead of gorging like he usually did, he merely sipped the broth.

"Is something up, Po?" Tigress asked in concern, noting his lack of appetite.

"Something isn't right." He answered.

"What isn't right?" Tigress inquired further.

"Something with the Dragon Scroll. I think there is still things to be done in terms of the Scroll."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I told Master Shifu about it. He told me to report to him if something happened. He also said that he feels the same way I do right before he gets a vision."

Tigress' brow shot up, "Then he was right. Tell him if anything happens, okay? Last time he got a vision, he almost got killed in Gongmen."

"Okay, okay, I get it. Thank you for your support."

"Anytime, Po."

OOOOOOO

Po tossed and turned on his mat. It was now night time over the Valley of Peace, but peace did not reign in the panda's mind. Po was afraid to go to sleep, but he needed to anyways. Besides, how was he to train and fight and protect if the only thing he wanted to do was flop down and snooze?

Eventually, growing tired of his insomnia, Po got up and went to the kitchen. He rummaged around the shelves until he found what he was looking for: a tin of tea leaves. The panda was just setting up the pot when he heard a voice, "What are you doing?"

Shifu stood in the doorway, frowning at the warrior. Po glanced over his shoulder at the red panda, then turned back to the tea, "I can't go to sleep, I'm making some tea to help it."

"Tea is always good to keep inner peace. Is there enough for me?"

"Certainly." After a few minutes, Po handed Shifu a cup, then poured himself one. "Is something up with you, Master?"

"No, though I am concerned about you." Shifu smiled albeit seriously, then his face suddenly fell back to a frown, "Po?"

The panda seemed to be frozen in time, tea halfway to his lips, eyes wide and unfocused, not breathing at all. All he could comprehend was Shifu's fading voice, and the darkness enclosing his mind. Then, with an exhalation, Po went limp, and fell to the floor with a great thud, spread-eagled.

OOOOOOO

Got us a rather dreaded cliffhanger here, eh? Why don't you wait till tomorrow for the resolution to come along, eh?


	2. Chapter 2: The Dream

Enjoy the wait? Yes? No? Whatever, here's you reward for waiting.

OOOOOOO

"PO!" Shifu cried in alarm and surprise. He knelt down on the panda's chest and began slapping his cheeks. Nothing. He yelled in his ear. Nothing. The red panda tried everything, but no response came from Po. Shifu turned and ran to the bedding chambers.

OOOOOOO

The images never stayed during Po's slumber. Voices and people flickered in and out of existence, and no matter how hard he tried, Po could not comprehend what was happening, or what they were saying or doing.

Then, one face rose above the others.

It looked like that of a tiger's, but something was off. Not the fact that his eyes were like two wheels of vibrant color, or that silver markings adorned his forehead, but just the face that he looked like a tiger, and yet was not a tiger. The thing's eyes delved into Po's, and a finger rose to his lips. _Shhhhhh…_

The world exploded into chaos.

Wars raged, fires burned, armies rushed blindly to their deaths at the hands of each other. It all flashed by faster than one could comprehend, but the panda could comprehend. He wished he couldn't. Blood flowed, screams rang out, it was all a malady of nightmarish and gory imagery. Then, one of them slowed down. A dragon writhed through the mob of friend and foe, tearing every enemy apart. It turned to Po, and it delved into his eyes, just like the thing had.

The dragon's eyes were the exact color of green that Po's were.

Everything behind it faded into darkness, and the panda was relieved. But, the relief soon turned to terror as the dragon opened its mouth. Po tried to step back, knowing he was going to be ripped in two by those jaws at any moment.

And the dragon spoke.

"You are the One, Dragon Warrior," The dragon's voice was a deep baritone, unlike any other ever heard in the universe. "The heir of the Dragon Artifacts."

"What are the Dragon Artifacts?"

"The Dragon Artifacts are seven artifacts that, when combined, give the bearer great power. Many generations of warriors have searched long and hard for these artifacts, but not one has found a trace of them, and only one hides in plain sight."

"How do I get these Artifacts?"

"You already have one: the Dragon Scroll, the one that hid in plain sight. The others are the Dragon Elixir, the Dragon Power, the Dragon Sword, the Dragon Fury, the Dragon Soul, and the Dragon Secret. The secret to finding these are hidden within the Dragon Scroll."

"How do I get them _out_ of the Dragon Scroll?"

"Use the one thing that you and Shifu already possess within your souls. It soothes the soul, smooths the wrinkles within, quenches the-"

"Inner peace!"

"Yes."

"But how do I use that to reveal the secret?"

"You must find out yourself. I, your Dragon Within, cannot reveal this. You must find the artifacts, or the world will descend into chaos and war, as you have already seen."

"Please! Give me answers!"

"Find the artifacts… find them… find…" The Dragon Within faded out of sight, and the images of war came back.

Po did not understand, and a question that was rather common came to mind: _why me? Why do I have to find these artifacts, stop this war? I'm scared! Why? WHY? _**WHY? **

The last thought came out as a haunting, drawn-out scream that echoed in his mind and shattered the landscape. Yet again, the world descended into darkness.

OOOOOOO

After what seemed an eternity, the world came into view as Po opened his eyes with a gasp. After his pupils adjusted to the light, he looked about. Tigress sat nearby, Crane at the panda's side. He instantly recognized the room as his bedding chamber. _How did I get here?_ He wondered. Then Po remembered; his body locking up, the darkness enclosing his mind.

A flash of red and white, and the next thing Po knew, he was staring into the worried face of the red panda known as Master Shifu, "Po! Are you alright?"

"I had a vision. I need to get the Dragon Scroll back down."

Shifu's eyes widened, as did Tigress' and Crane's, "Come with me!" Shifu exclaimed, and he sprinted out of the bedding chamber. Hesitating for the slightest moment, Po, Tigress, and Crane did likewise.

Soon, the four arrived at the Hall of Warriors, drenched from the rain that had appeared out of nowhere before Po woke up. They walked up to the pool of water at the front, as Shifu twirled and whipped his bamboo staff about, blowing the petals up in short gusts of air, until one landed on the end of the perfectly balanced Dragon Scroll, and the artifact slid out of the jaws of the beast. The red panda extended the staff, and the Scroll bounced off the end, to land in his paw. Shifu turned around and tossed it to Po.

The panda, like he had months before, struggled to open the canister, until he handed it to his master, saying "Sorry."

"No need to apologize." _Ploonk! _He handed it back to Po, who promptly opened it to the familiar golden foil. He stared at it a moment, then his eyes brightened, remembering what his Dragon Within had said, "I have an idea. Give me a minute here." Po set the scroll on the ground went over to the columns by the side, and he reached out.

A raindrop touched his finger, and the panda let it roll down his paw. Deftly transferring it between paws, fingers, and likewise, he slowly stepped over to the Scroll, and let the drop fall of his claw onto the foil, the other three watching in awe and amazement.

The drop disappeared like it would into a sheet of paper, spreading out lowly, and a shockwave of writing spread over the foil.

OOOOOOO

R&R please!


	3. Chapter 3: The Scroll's Secret

**NOTE: **I realized I hadn't included any explanation about the cache, so I added it in. Also, I'm gonna forget my 1,000 word limit. It's too cumbersome to handle. J Besides, Chapter 7 is coming a little slower than I thought. It will be around by Monday at the latest

**Tigressfan12: **Thank you for your review! Don't worry; I will post 1 chapter every day (2 if one of them is a filler chapter).

OOOOOOO

Even Po was shocked, although he had been the one with the idea. Hand trembling in excitement, he picked up the scroll, and began to read aloud.

_Well done, Dragon Warrior, you have found my secret. I will be long gone by the time you read this, but that does not matter now._

_The Dragon Elixir is a brew that I discovered just recently, and it gives the imbiber a great boost of chakra energy._

At this point, Po looked up from the Scroll, "What is chakra energy, Master?"

"It allows a skilled kung fu warrior to power his attacks to high levels, to do things such as blast a rock into pieces with a single punch."

"WHOA!"

"Focus."

"Right." Po continued to read.

_The ingredients to the Dragon Elixir are rather rare, as they are only acquired with great skill. One must have inner peace for the brew to work properly, and the other two ingredients are the Water of Life, and pure energy._

_The Water of Life has its source in the Tibetan Plateau, in a system of caves hidden deep within a mountain so tall, no bird or cloud can fly over it. Be warned, there will be many enemies along the way! I remember encountering a barrage of cultists that I was barely about to destroy._

At this point, everyone gave each other worried glances. Cultists? The silence did not last long.

_I have a secret cache of knowledge hidden in the south of China. It hold the location of the mountain mentioned earlier in this letter. I will leave it to you to find the cache._

_You need not go back to the source to obtain more of the water; if you put just a drop in another pool of water, it will forever be a source of the Water of Life._

_Pure energy is found as a liquid, at many sources. One of them is, believe it or not, below the Jade Palace._

The four masters glanced at the floor, wide-eyed, then Po continued to read.

_I created a secret tunnel within the grounds. I will, again, leave it to you to find its entrance. Beware, the energy is highly volatile! A slight jar, and it could leave a burn scar on your face that will NEVER go away, and it will NOT look pretty._

_Continue on your journey, and you will achieve a level of perfection closer than anyone has achieved. I bid you all the luck in existence, Dragon Warrior, for this will be a dangerous journey._

_Sincerely, Master Síamalyan_

The four of them stood there for a long moment, pondering, wondering… Then Tigress broke the silence, "And where might this secret cache be?"

"I have a vague idea of where it lies." Shifu answered, "Legend tells of a hidden library on the island of Hong Kong. No one has been able to find it, but with some adventuring and work I'm sure we can find it."

"You're really sure?"

"Well, not really." Crane guffawed and Po snorted, Shifu smiling in slight amusement at his tongue-slip.

"However, I have never heard of this Master S

íamalyan. He might be one that was long forgotten."

"Wait! I think I remember him!" Po piped up, "I saw him in my vision."

Shifu stared, "Really?"

"Yes! He looked like a messed up tiger, no offense Tigress." She waved a paw dismissively.

"We must prepare soon. All of the masters will leave tomorrow at noon to look for the library and source."

"What? You mean I can't go by myself?"

Shifu gave him a look that plainly said "Come on!" Po raised his paws defensively, muttering "Just saying, Master."

"Saying doesn't do anything. Let's get started."

Tigress bumped in, "Shouldn't we tell the others, though?"

Shifu hesitated, "Yeah." And the four left the Hall of Warriors at once.

It was now an hour after Po had woken up, the rain and clouds had gone, the sun had begun to set. To their surprise, they encountered Monkey, Viper, and Crane on the way to the bedding chambers. Shifu, Po, Tigress, and Crane took turns explaining the events that had transpired. The other three quickly agreed to the plan that their team-mates had agreed upon, and they all went back up the chambers to make details.

OOOOOOO

The sun had now set over the land, and the Furious Five, Po, and Shifu sat in the kitchen over bowls of noodle soup, finalizing the plan for action. The masters of kung fu intended to travel to Baidon-Mar, a city located to the southwest of the Valley of Peace. After restocking supplies there, they would then pass through the sparse villages and dense forests that barricaded Southern China and retrieve the scroll from the hidden cache. Afterwards, they would go to the tallest mountain in the southern ranges and obtain eh Water of Life, then make an escape back to the valley of peace.

Po suddenly started, exclaiming "I left the Scroll in the Hall of Warriors!" Worried that a thief might snatch it, he leapt up and rushed down without further adieu.

Po flung open the doors, the glint of the Scroll's golden foil evaporating Po's fears. He quickly snatched it up and ran back outside.

He would not be prepared for what would happen next.

As he dashed up the steps, he suddenly fell flat on his face. A sickening _crack_ resounded in the air, and the panda felt a sharp pain in his nose. _Damn, I broke it!_ Angrily, he stood up and glared down at what had made him trip.

A section of stone underneath the panda's foot had depressed, and a rumble was now heard. The stairs appeared to collapse inward, and Po watched in shock as a hidden flight of stairs sunk down in front of him, a soft teal glow emanating from the corridor that they lead into.

OOOOOOO

Nice cliffie here! I personally think that chapter was tacky, but that will brush off later. Kindly R&R and give me my motivation to write!


	4. Chapter 4: The Chamber

I'm so very sorry, I got hit with a bad h-work bomb yesterday! I didn't have time to write AT ALL! Anyways… here's your chapter.

**Tigressfan12: **How sweet of you! And to think I got the idea when I was watching the first movie when Shifu is getting the scroll down, and I murmured to myself "An artifact of the Dragons". It was so spontaneous!  
>Anyways, hope you enjoy this chapter!<p>

OOOOOOO

"Hey guys! I think I found something!" Po called to the bedding chambers. Without waiting for the Five and Shifu, he ventured cautiously down the stairs.

OOOOOOO

The call was faint, but all of them heard it clearly, "Hey guys, I think I found something!"

"It could be related to the source of pure energy!" Tigress exclaimed. She bolted out the open door, her team-mates close behind her.

The six masters sprinted down the stairs, "Why are we doing this anyway?" the tiger queried, "Can't we hold- WHA!" She yelped as she suddenly disappeared. The others skidded to a stop.

Yells could be heard, and they sounded as if they were coming from the ground, "God damn it Po, move!"

"What, this hallway is not very wide! I got girth, baby!"

"_Don't you _EVER _call me baby!"_

"Ow! What was that for?"

"Calling me baby, baby."

"Take it out on Mantis, he called you a baby this morning, and a big one too!"

The shouts continued to spill out from beneath their feet, everyone frozen in confusion. Shifu frowned and advanced forward, step by step. He seemed to fall, and a grunt was heard. Four pairs of eyes watched as his white head poked up from the stairs, grinning like an idiot, "It's the energy source! The entrance was hidden under these stairs all this time!"

The others quickly skittered around the way and down the corridor, as taunts and insults continued to stream ahead of them, "You can't take a little nudge?"

"Sure I can. Can you take this, kitty?" An _oof_ was heard, and for an instant, the form of Tigress melted out of the darkness.

Then, many things happened all at once.

Tigress' form disappeared as an angry yowl shattered the air. Meanwhile, Monkey, who was at the back of the line that had formed, gave a "Whoa!", and fell forward, creating a domino effect as he crashed into Crane, who dodged to avoid Mantis and went timber in turn, landing on Viper, while Mantis jumped forward at the same time onto the snake and startled her. Her scream of shock and alarm as she was squashed beneath her friends caused Shifu to flinch and trip. Monkey and Crane then flew over and landed in the middle of the hub-bub causing their team-mates and themselves to slide into Po and Tigress. A rather claustrophobic tumble ensued, with many cries, grunts, and yelps mixed in, until they reached the bottom of the staircase, in a stunned daze.

Po was the first to come to his senses, and immediately awoke the others with a "WHOA!" The others got to their feet, and gasped in wonder.

Blue and teal light bounced around the room, and it thrummed with pure energy. The room was more like a cave, however, as stalactites and stalagmites hung from the ceiling, and the floor was rough. Pools of liquid energy were abundant, and drops fell of the stalactites. But the most noticeable feature was nearby, carved into a stone pillar.

A tall figure stood, hands clasped around the hilt of a sword. He had the appearance of a tiger, but flowing marking ran up and down his body, his feet were flatter, and the fingers were longer. The figure's head was bowed in a gesture of respect. A golden plaque was installed into a podium in front of the statue.

Tigress stepped forward to read the plaque, "Master Síamalyan of Aradeial. Also known as the Lord of Time and Master of Existence."

Everyone stared at the noble figure that stood before them, frozen in stone. The seriousness of what had just been learned hit them in the face, realizing that this could be a foreshadow of what was to come. It was Monkey who broke the silence, "This is… unexpected and unusual…"

"Unusual?" Shifu burst out, "This could mean- it- ah!- I don't know what it could mean! He's the LORD OF TIME!"

"Does that really matter right now?" Po bumped in, "We just found the pure energy source, s we don't have to find it later. Maybe we can just go and find the Water of Life source now? And the secret cache?"

"Eh… yeah. Anyone in favor, say yes."

"Yes, master." The students promptly chorused.

"With the added master for formality. Po, go get the food and gear-"

"Master."

"-and meet the rest of us at the Hall of Warriors. We will set off-"

"Master!"

"-WHAT?"

"Shouldn't we sleep first? You know so we don't just fall on our faces in exhaustion in the middle of a battle?"

Shifu's expression fell suddenly in realization, then "Yeah."

OOOOOOO

The light of the morning sun spilled out like liquid gold over the Valley of Peace. The citizens were stil tossing and turning in their beds, but then, a gong sounded.

In the bedding chambers, six students promptly stepped out of their rooms, "Good morning master!"

"Good morning, students. Today, we're going to find the secret cache of scrolls, and the source of the Water of Life. Po, go get the food and gear for us, then we will meet at the Hall of Warriors."

"Oh, come on!"

"What?" Shifu frowned, a tiny glint in his eye.

"Nothing, nothing," And the panda obliged reluctantly.

Soon, gasping for breath, Po arrived at the Hall of Warriors, as Shifu asked, "What took you so long?"

"Face it, I'm still a bit chubby, and stairs aren't easy for me."

"Whatever. Let's go!" And they did so.

OOOOOOO

Again, I'm really sorry about the wait. R&R please, though!


	5. Chapter 5: The Cult

Okay, so the updates could be at anytime, whether it be in a few hours, or in a month. Please be patient, no matter what! Besides, I have a life that's not a part of writing fan fiction, and sometimes that life can be a bitch.

**Tigressfan12:** That part was so fun to write!

OOOOOOO

The caravan of kung fu warriors traveled all day, only stopping for a break at noon. Finally, when the sun had nearly set, they flopped down onto the ground, exhausted.

"That's the last time I ever do that!" Po moaned.

"Too bad Po, you'll have to do it again," Shifu retorted, "and unfortunately, so will I."

Po snorted, then suddenly sat up, "Whatever! What do we do now?"

Viper arched her back as if shrugging, "I don't know, build a fire?"

"Who's gonna get the wood?"

"You." Tigress bumped in.

"Oh, fine." The panda got to his feet with a sigh, and lumbered into the forest.

Immediately, he ran into trouble, as he stepped on a branch with a bent end. It came up hard, and Po's already broken nose was fractured once again. _Shit!_

He picked up the branch and snapped it in two, and continued to gather twigs, sticks, and the like. Soon, he had gathered an armful of wood, and began to lug it back to camp.

Po suddenly stopped, and listened.

An ominous presence suddenly filled the forest. The usual chatter of small animals and bugs had gone quiet.

Then, a rustle, and with a shout, a band of tigers dropped from the trees.

"Freeze, panda!" A sword appeared in Po's vision, and he instinctively held up his paws, eyes wide. The tiger in front of him spoke, "Are you the one of the prophecy?"

"What prophecy?"

"Tell me!"

"I don't know what you're talking about?'

"Are you the Dragon Warrior?"

"Yes!"

"Seize him!" The band leapt at Po, and the warrior jumped up, performed a back flip, and landed behind the tigers.

Big mistake.

As soon as he landed, the one closest to Po whipped around, and with fury blazing like an inferno in his eyes, his fist came forward.

Although he was not even close to where the panda was standing, the tiger's punch seemed to turn to light, searing Po's retinas as the blast impacted and sending him flying out of the forest, through the camp, and straight into Tigress. The two went a bit further before collapsing in a breathless heap.

"What the _hell_ was that, Po?" she raged, sitting up quickly.

Po did likewise, albeit with a moan, "I… I don't know… It was all like-"

"There he is!" And the camp erupted into chaos.

The tigers melted out of the trees, and within moments the same light that had flung Po out of the forest filled the camp. A cry was heard, and quickly the Dragon Warrior recognized it as Shifu's. Not even looking back to check on his master, Po and the Furious Five charged into battle, deftly swinging a foot into a tiger's neck. With a sickening crack the fragile vertebrae shattered, and the feline fell in a heap.

No sooner had Po taken one out than another stepped up to take his place. This time, it was the tiger that had interrogated the panda, and the panda's fist flashed in front of him.

To Po's utter surprise and astonishment, the tiger blocked it and lifted his leg in a groin attack. _Whack!_ Pain stunned the kung fu warrior, and the offender raised his sword in triumph, ready to bring it down by the blade in an acupressure attack that would block Po's energy.

Suddenly, the tiger disappeared from view, replaced by Tigress as she attacked with a stunning grace only a feline would possess. Regaining his energy, the panda leapt up, and froze in horror as the tiger's blade sword suddenly flashed forward. Blood spattered the air, and Tigress fell to the ground with a shriek of agony, a deep gash in her leg near her hip.

The warrior stared, as the image of his comrade falling in slow motion seemed to replay in his mind, taking an eternity to finish. He was yanked from his stupor when a shout burst into his hearing, "They're all down! Go in on the panda!"

They came in slowly, biding their time. Emotions boiled within Po. How dare they injure Tigress! Energy rushed through his body, and suddenly the panda felt as if he wasn't in control of himself. In truth, he wasn't, either. A strange force overcame his limbs, and he felt his legs bend, to straighten in an impossibly high jump. With a snarl of pure rage and fury, Po turned himself upside down, and shot towards the ground, his two paws combining into one fist and pointing down as they were charged with chakra energy.

An explosion ripped through the camp, and green light expanded over the land in a devastating shockwave that flung all enemies out of sight. Trees were blasted and bent over at impossible angles. But somehow, everything and everyone in the camp stayed put, as if a shield protected them.

Po found himself lying face down in the dirt. He groaned and lifted his head.

The others were scattered around the camp, rubbing heads, flicking ears, and gawking at the destruction wrought over anything outside the camp.

Only one thing caught the panda's eye; Tigress, on her side, wounded.

Po immediately jumped up in spite of his fatigue, rushing over to her, eyes wide with panic. He held her leg at the joint, trying his best to stop the bleeding.

Crane appeared at his side, "What was that? How did you do it? With the chakra energy? It was the most amazing thing I have ever seen in my life!"

Po paused, thinking hard, then replied honestly, "I don't know."

"What?"

"Never mind. Now help me with this."

OOOOOOO

Nice and dramatic, eh? No matter, kindly R&R please!


	6. Chapter 6: Síamalyan

Sorry for the wait. Here you go!

**Tigressfan12: **Isn't that why this fan fiction is categorized as suspense? Cliffhangers up the ass! And I like it! Besides, you won't believe what I have in store for Tigress later on! Also, if I had to pick a fav character, it would be Tai Lung (ask me via PM for details).

OOOOOOO

"Well then, what can I do?" Crane queried.

"Go get some bandages," Po answered.

"We don't have any bandages!"

"Then rip up a piece of cloth or get some leaves or something."

Crane flapped to somewhere behind Po, and a ripping sound was heard. The bird came back holding a woven textile in his beak.

"Where did you find that?"

"Tore up a sleeping mat."

"Give it here." Po took hold of the cloth and yanked it from the beak that held it, ignoring the indignant yelp and wrapping the textile tightly around Tigress' bleeding leg. The flow had slowed somewhat, but not much.

A low groan escaped her lips, and Po realized she had passed out from the pain. The amber eyes opened the slightest crack, and slurred words spilled from her mouth, "Wha' hap'n'd?"

"I don't know, Tigress. All I know is that-"

"Stuff it," Shifu appeared beside Po, looking quite catty-whompus after the most recent entourage, "What I'd like to know is what the _spirit-damned hell_ was that?"

_How many times must I say this? _"I DON'T KNOW! JUST STUFF IT YOURSELVES FOR ONCE!" he screamed in frustration and confusion.

It seemed the entirety of the clearing had suddenly gone still, aside from a smeared "Whuzzuhmatter?" that drifted from the delirious Tigress.

Po spoke much quieter now, "I'm sorry, I'm just confused. Everyone's asking me what happened, how did I do it, all that stuff, and I don't even have an answer. All that I know is that I saw Tigress get cut, then I got really mad, and then I just lost control of myself. I couldn't make my own decisions."

Silence reigned once again, then Shifu asked, "Like, you were… possessed?"

"Yes. Exactly. I jumped up in the air, I came down, I was all full of energy, and then there was this explosion…"

A pause, then, "I remember you said something when you jumped up."

"What did I say? 'Cause I don't remember saying anything."

"It's hard to pronounce. It sounded like it was in a different language."

"Could you try to say it, please?"

"I'll try." Shifu cleared his throat, "You said, 'Vráhn vor hylak'."

He flinched, as something clicked, and the panda instantly recognized what the phrase meant, _"Curse you all!" _Now he knew it; he definitely had been possessed, or something.

The rest of the day passed uneasily. The camp was rearranged, Tigress was further treated, and finally they all lay down to sleep.

Po flopped about restlessly; he had a nagging sensation that something wasn't right. It was rather like his earlier bout back at the Jade Palace…

Po froze in mid-toss, as the darkness enveloped his mind once again, and he was faced once again with his Dragon Within.

The Dragon's green eyes pierced the warrior's own, "It is time you met someone, Po." Suddenly, the leviathan faded away, and the two green orbs were replaced by two wheels of color set within what seemed wisdom itself. Po now took in the face of Master Síamalyan.

"_Mórhd-hínal_, Po. I am glad to see you." His deep, majestic voice carried an accent Po had never heard. It weighed heavily on his speech, and it was as if each vowel had been turned inside out like dirty socks.

_(__**AN: **__think of a messed up British accent and a messed up Australian accent thrown in a blender.)_

"Master Síamalyan! I've seen your statue, your message. I have so many questions!"

"Patience, warrior. All will be answered in time. It is good that you found my message."

"Why are you here anyway?"

"Well, first, I thought I should tell you that I was the one who helped you during your entourage with the Cult of Sarugon."

"You were the one that possessed me?"

"Yes. I made you do a meteor strike. One of my favorite moves."

"But, why?"

"Don't you know? The Cult has the power of shamanism. They can manipulate the elements and the energies. It would be suicide to try to fend them off without the same power."

"Wait, what is this cult? What do they want?"

Síamalyan sighed heavily, "The Cult of Sarugon is aimed at worldly dominance. They are lead by my arch enemy, the un-maker of reality, Seronar. The Cult wants you because you are the subject of the prophecy that-"

"What prophecy, master?"

"_The rogue and the dragon shall clash, the inferno shall sweep the world, and all will be decided once and for all._"

The enormity of the prophecy struck Po full on, like a slap to the face. The rogue and the dragon shall clash? And what sort of inferno will sweep the world? The panda's mind reeled in confusion.

"I understand your confusion, warrior." Síamalyan explained, "But, moving on now! The Cult believes you are the dragon mentioned in the prophecy, due to your status as Dragon Warrior. Because of this, they will try anything to get to you, and since I helped you defeat them, they will most likely think you are more powerful than you seem."

"So, the meteor strike you made me do was a mistake?"

"Yes, unfortunately. My only thought at the time was to get you out of danger. I'm afraid I got you further into it."

"What am I supposed to do now, master?"

"Find the artifacts. Try to evade the Cult as best as you can. They may be powerful, but they leave tracks galore. Inform your comrades about our conversation."

"Thank you master."

"Always," A clawed hand reached up to touch Po, and he instantly jerked awake into the waking world.

OOOOOOO

R&R please! More reviews!


	7. Chapter 7: The Conversation

Sorry, our big state test is coming along soon, and I had a bad time with homework this week. Everything's good now, and here's your next chapter! Also, check Chapter Three. I realized I left out the cache of knowledge, so go reread it.

**Tigressfan12: **I know! I always try to make it awesome!

OOOOOOO

The panda was still for a moment. A moment it was, for he quickly leapt up and looked around wildly, finally catching sight of a meditating Shifu by the side of the stream that ran by the camp. He ran over.

"Is something wrong, Po?"

"Yes! I found out about all these things in my dreams and everything, and-"

"Wait, is this a dream, or a vision?"

"Sorry, a vision,"

"Then tell me about it,"

"Síamalyan got into my dreams. He said that he took control of me and made me do that big explosion. He called it a meteor strike-"

"Mmhmm,"

"-and he told me about this shamanism thing that those tigers used-'

"Mmhmm,"

"-and he told me about this cult bent on worldly domination-"

"WHAT?"

"-lead by his arch-enemy, the unmake of reality-"

"UNMAKER OF WHAT?"

"-and about this prophecy about me and the fate of the world, and-"

Shifu leapt forward, swinging his tightly clenched fist in an underhand arc, to connect with the bottom of Po's jaw, cutting the rambling warrior off in mid sentence.

"OW!" A drop of blood rolled from the corner of the panda's mouth as he clasped a hand over it, "You made me bite my tongue! You little-"

"Hey! What's all the hub-bub?" A shout yet again chopped Po's intended insult in two, and he turned his head to see a very annoyed Crane glaring at him in the early morning darkness.

"Yeah!" Tigress had apparently healed enough to not slur, and she continued on, "Did the prophet of China get another doomsday vision? Of fire and war and blood and death?" Rarely used sarcasm dripped off her voice and froze in midair.

"Yes, I did."

Surprised and shock flitted over her face, only to quickly be replaced by a nasty sneer, "Then would you and Master Shifu stop bickering so loudly about it like two old ladies?"

"Sure! He and I will stop bickering about it, and we'll bicker with you and everyone else about it!"

"Oh hell no!" Mantis piped in, "Just shut up and go to sleep!"

"Not if it's on the order of Master Síamalyan that I tell you about it!"

"I don't care what Síamalyan says!"

"You'd better care if you want to live!"

"Is that a threat?"

"No, I'm just saying maybe you'd rather not die at the hands of cultists bent on worldly domination that will stop at nothing, and have special powers!"

"I'll die at their hands gladly! I won't-"

"_SPIRITS DAMN IT, WOULD ALL OF YOU KNUCKLE BRAINS JUST TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY? THIS IS THE REAL DEAL! NOW SHUT YOUR TRAPS AND LISTEN!"_

The outburst from Shifu had everyone awake, stunned into silenced, and listening intently.

"Thank you." The red panda nodded curtly, then twitched a finger towards Po.

"Okay, Síamalyan visited me in my dreams, in a vision basically. He told me that he had taken control of me, and made me do that explosion thing. He calls it a meteor strike by the way. Anyways, he them told me that a cult called the Cult of Sarugon is after me because they believe I am the subject of a prophecy."

"What does this prophecy say?" Viper queried.

"The rogue and the dragon shall clash, the inferno shall sweep the world, and all will be decided once and for all."

A long silence.

Monkey broke it, "That sounds pretty serious. And in what way are you related?"

"They think I am the dragon that is mentioned in the prophecy… wait, they _know_ I am."

"Really?"

"Yes. Anyways, they want to use the power of shamanism and my own powers that I will later have to take over the world."

"What kind of powers, exactly?" Crane asked.

"Aside from the Dragon Elixir's chakra boost, I don't know."

"Po, you also mentioned a un-maker of reality?" Shifu bumped in.

"Yes. The Cult is lead by his arch-enemy, Seronar. He mentioned that he was the un-maker of reality."

"Come to think of it, I don't think I taught you how to use chakra."

"Can we talk about that later?" Without waiting for an answer, he continued on, "This shamanism thing that Síamalyan mentioned was that light thing that those tiger cultists were doing. He says it's very powerful, and we need to learn how to use it and defend ourselves against it."

"Maybe the knowledge for it is in the cache of knowledge?"

"Maybe, Master. He didn't mention where we are going to find out how to use it, or how we will."

"Then there's only one way to find out. Come on everyone, pack up! We got to go!"

"Wh-wha-what?" Crane sputtered, "Now?"

"You see that?" Shifu jabbed a finger at the horizon, where a glowing pinkish band of light emanated, "That's our signal to go!"

"That quick?' Po exclaimed, "We didn't have to get up this early at the Jade Palace!"

"This isn't the Jade Palace, Po, this is the woods! Get moving!"

OOOOOOO

"How much… farther… do we have… to walk?" Po gasped out. He carried Tigress in his arms bridal style, whilst everyone else strolled beside him.

"Well gee, Po," Tigress said, "Maybe if you hadn't run for the first two miles you wouldn't be so tired right now."

"Shifu was kicking my-" A whack from the red panda's staff hit the warrior in the rear, causing Po to cringe, "-ass! How could I not?"

"You could have ignored it, maybe?"

"You don't ignore you master!" The staff flashed out again, this time to make contact with the side of Tigress' hip, forcing a cry of pain from her."

"Will you three put a fist in it?" Crane had an annoyed frown fixed on his face, as did Mantis and Viper.

"Doesn't matter now," piped up the female in Po's arms, "Look over there."

They complied. In the distance, a clutter of houses had faded into view. Behind them, towers were barely visible in the thin mist that hung over the land.

"Baidon-Mar!"

"Now Po, I don't think you should-" Viper began.

"AHAHA!" With a burst of energy, Po sprinted off towards the city, Tigress giving an undignified yelp as she felt the sudden lurch. Shifu sighed heavily, facepalmed, then raced off after the duo, the rest close behind him.

OOOOOOO

There we are! R&R! All of you! I know who you are, and where you live!


	8. Chapter 8: The City

Sorry, I had to finish the state tests, and with homework up my wazoo, writing was out of the question. Anyways, another chapter is up! My thanks to my beta-reader, Heir-to-the-throne!

Tigressfan12: Which part, Shifu hitting her, or Po running off like a madman?

OOOOOOO

"Finally… we're here!" Po heaved heavily as he stumbled through the gates of Baidon-Mar. His feet dragged heavily on the ground, then slipped out from under him as the warrior toppled over. Tigress, with an effort, pushed herself out of his arms to land on the dirt beside him.

"Hmmph, about time," Crane rolled his eyes sarcastically, obviously only mildly fatigued, as were Mantis, Shifu, Viper, and Monkey.

"Get up!" The red panda was beside the duo at a moment's notice, staff fanning out both ways to thwack them both in the hip. Tigress yelped and held her injury. Po winced.

"C'mon! I duh' wanna walk!"

"I said, get up!"

Tigress stumbled to her feet, hand on her gash, while the panda reluctantly complied, getting to his knees. He suddenly froze, then dropped back down on his palms, vomit gushing out his open mouth."

"Eww…" Mantis made a face and looked away. Shifu did likewise and took a step back. Viper grimaced and retreated behind Monkey, who held the same expression. Tigress merely scrunched her nose slightly, glaring at the warrior.

Po retched loudly a few more times, then slowly turned his head over his shoulder, "Okay guys… I'm done…"

Shifu came forward, eyes flicking in disgust towards the vile liquid, "Good. Now get up."

"Working on it," With a grunt, Po heaved himself up, finally righting himself with quite an effort. He turned to the others, "Okie-dokie, let's find us a place to stay."

"A place to stay?" A voice said. Everyone swiveled their heads to its source; a tiger.

"Yes, do you know where a good hotel might be? Possibly the governor of Baidon-Mar?"

"There's quite a few hotels around here. As for the governor, it depends on who you are."

"We are the masters of the Jade Palace. I am Shifu-" Fist to palm, Shifu bowed, then continued on, "-this is the Furious Five-" He gestured to said masters, who bowed respectfully, "-and the Dragon Warrior." Po repeated the gesture with a proud smile fixed to his face.

"Quite the caravan, and an honor." The tiger bowed, "The governor will certainly take you in. Good luck, and I'll see you around." He looked into the eyes of all the master. Po felt his brow twitch into a frown momentarily. Did he linger on me? And what is that on his arm? As if something by his eye bothered him, the feline brushed a hand over the fur by his temple.

"You are in great danger here, panda."

The warrior's eyes widened at the voice. The tiger nodded, then walked away, turned a corner, and was gone. Po stared momentarily, then turned to the others, "So, what now?"

"We go to the governor's home. He will take us in for a short time, and then we will leave to the cache right after."

The seven masters walked down the streets, ignoring the stares and gasps of astonishment at their presence. There were many mumbles of "Is that Master Tigress?" "A panda?" "Is he the Dragon Warrior?"

After a time, the entourage came to a halt in front of a sprawling palace. Elegant walls and gates closed off, and guarding those gates, two rhinos.

Shifu stepped up, not at all intimidated by the guard's size, "Is this the Governor's home?"

"Yes, and who might you be, pipsqueak?"

At the insult, Po's fists clenched until a series of pops erupted from them. Tigress' eyes narrowed, and Monkey shifted on his feet. However, Shifu's expression remained neutral, aside from his brow twitching slightly, "Master Shifu of the Valley of Peace. And my students as well, including the Dragon Warrior." He gestured to them all.

The guard's eyes widened until he finally stammered out, "W-w-what would-d y-you n-n-need from th-the g-g-governor, M-Masters?" His companions seemed as scared as he was.

"Just some solace for a few days. Does he have guest rooms?"

"C-certainly, sir!" And the rhino almost ran through he gates, into the palace. Minutes later, a flustered goose trotted out, the guard close behind him.

"The governor welcomes you, and wishes that you come in!"

OOOOOOO

"So, how did you get here, masters?"

Po, the Furious Five, and Shifu all sat at a long table, Governor Hajian, a tiger, at its head. Po took a sip of his noodle soup, inwardly grimacing at the taste. Nothing near his legendary flavor, but still edible.

"We're been looking for a secret cache of knowledge hidden in the southern areas of China." Shifu replied.

"Really?"

"Yes. More dumplings, please."

Hajian stuck two fingers in his mouth. FWEET! In lumbered a gorilla, a stark contrast to the rabbits that skittered about.

"You own a monkey?" Po asked incredulously.

SLAP.

"Ow, Monkey! Sorry, you own a big monkey?"

SOCK.

"Oof! Dude, I wasn't thinking about you those few times, okay?"

KSSSH!

"That's it!" Shifu shook his head with amusement and slight embarrassment. The others stared, grinning like morons as the two duked it out until Monkey had pinned the panda down.

"Okay, okay! I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Just get off, please!" With those words, Monkey relented, and Po righted himself, rubbing new sore spots he had acquired from the simian.

"With you being the Dragon Warrior, I would think you would be able to fight off anyone." Hajian mused.

"Hey, I only use my awesome powers when I'm facing an army."

Shifu smiled, then turned back to the governor, "Now, how about those dumplings?"

OOOOOOO

It was nighttime, and the only activity within Baidon-Mar was the few late-night shoppers that milled around. The Five, Shifu, and Po all slept soundly, until the panda suddenly jerked awake, aware that something was amiss.

He looked around wildly, into the darkest corners. His impromptu scan yielded nothing, and he slowly sank back down onto the sleeping mat.

"It seems you did sense me after all."

In an instant, Po was on his feet, rooted into a stance, staring into the eyes of…

Síamalyan.

The warrior now saw the great being in all his glory. He wore a leather jerkin with sleeves that halted just above the elbow, and pants of the same material. His crossed arms were adorned with silvery markings that contrasted sharply with his orange and black fur. His eyes were like two lights full of color in the darkness. His feet were bare, but clawed.

"Were you the one in the alley?" Po asked quietly, his stance relaxing, arms falling to his sides.

"No, that was one of my companions. I sent him here to watch over you. He's been following you in the shadows ever since you arrived."

"Why are you really here, then?"

"Because you need to hurry, and you need to do so now."

"What? We need our sleep; otherwise, we'll all just fall down during a big fight or something!"

"Don't worry about that, because that's why I came here." He raised a hand to his chest, and from it, light burst. It grew brighter and more luminous until Po was sure he would wake everyone else up. Then it abruptly went out like a candle blown out.

The panda was suddenly quivering with energy, and felt more alert than he had ever been. A series of groans drifted over his shoulder. They were waking up.

"Leave, now. They are coming." And with a burst of energy, Síamalyan was gone.

OOOOOOO

Author's Note: There you are! Now guys, I finally noticed anonymous review was off, and I just turned it on. Now, you people without accounts can review! Poor Tigressfan12 is the only person so far pushing me along, and I need more people! Please review! Pretty please with cherries and... whatever, you get the point.


	9. Chapter 9: The Ambush

Okay, I'm gonna try to get into a routine here, so you guys don't end up waiting a week for a chapter to come around. Also, I seriously don't know what happened; my beta reader hasn't even opened my chapter since I sent it to him 5 days ago. I don't know what happened, but this chap is going up, because you guys have waited long enough. There's probably going to be some mistakes and typos, 'kay? One more thing, 1,000 hits and going! WOOT!

**Tigressfan12: **Yeah, I thought I'd throw in a little something that would make people think "Oh gawd…" It's nice to hear that you'll read this story every single time! Thanks a lot!

**Avion570: **Cosmic energy. Síamalyan _is _the Lord of Time and Master of Existence; he can control any type of energy.

OOOOOOO

Po stood, rooted to his spot. _Who is coming? The Cult? What will they do with me? What will…_

The thought was cut off by a sharp voice from behind him, "Who was that?"

Po winced at the verbal knife the red panda's question beheld, "Síamalyan."

"What are you talking about?"

"He visited us, for real. That wasn't a vision or anything…"

"Then why isn't he here?"

"He teleported out or something, I don't know!"

"What did he tell you?"

"I think he gave us a whole bunch of energy with this bright flash, and then he told is that they are coming, and we have to leave now."

"Who is coming?"

"I don't know. He didn't tell me. It might be the cultists…"

"WHAT?" This outburst jerked everyone else out of their stupor, and at that moment Shifu wheeled around to face the Five, "Get up! The cultists are coming!"

That was all they needed to hear. At that moment, Po grabbed the gear, racing out the door, with the others close on his tail. They raced through the hallways of the palace, creating quite a racket that awoke everyone else behind them. Confused shouts and yells rang through the governor's home.

"Why are we even running?" the panda shouted above the din.

"We have to get outside of the city fast!" Shifu answered, "We shouldn't battle within the limits of the city, and if we don't get out, try to lead them away from the citizens!"

Soon, they all burst out onto the outside grounds. Expecting for no one to be in the streets, Po kept on through the gates to meet…

The tiger that injured Tigress, and about 50 cultists behind him.

"Hello, panda." He said simply. Swiping his hand, a trail of light emanated from it, hitting Po full on and flinging him straight into the others. Within seconds, the cultists were upon them.

Po had just struggled to his feet when a wolf swiped his sword, barely missing the warrior's neck as he leaned backward. Po blocked a series of blows, then noticed a rack of swords behind him. Spinning around, he deftly snatched one off, and swung it towards his attacker desperately. It flew right out of his hand, and the panda saw why. The wolf was twirling it, performing a complicated series of moves to form a near impenetrable shield around his chest. Seeing an opening, however, Po ducked down and thrust his foot out, knocking the wolf off balance and causing his sword to sail out of his hand. Catching it, the panda brought the grip down on the canine's head. He fell over, unconscious.

Many similar fights followed, and by this time, the palace grounds were devastated. Blood was on the ground, and everyone be held their own set of cuts and bruises. Po growled with frustration as his next opponent stepped up to meet him. _How many guys are there? There still has to be 20 of them! _At the moment, most of them were occupied with either one of the other masters, a guard, or terrifying a citizen or servant.

His breath caught as his eyes locked on to the eyes of the cultist leader, the tiger that had injured Tigress, "About time, panda." His fist came forward, and, as before, it seemed to detach from itself as a blast of light struck the warrior. Po crashed into another cultist that was fighting Viper. Both landed in a heap, knocked into a stupor.

Soon, the leader loomed over the dazed panda, and a slimy smirk crept onto his face, "Too easy. They'll be so amazed that I, Lieutenant Taligrahn of the Cult of Sarugon took out the Dragon Warrior single handedly. Now, say hello to your new destiny!" Taligrahn withdrew a strange device from his pocket; it looked to the warrior like a needle attached to a tube of sorts, which held a clear liquid in it. It started to move towards Po.

Suddenly, as the panda waited for his impending doom to arrive, a familiar sensation filled him, a strange calm, soothing, but helpless feeling. The feeling of not being in control. Síamalyan's voice echoed within his mind, _Sometimes, warrior, pure brawn is not the answer._ Po saw his hand flash out to catch the ever-closer moving contraption, saw it fling it away. With a lunge, Po leapt up and over the tiger with incredible agility. Turning round, he touched a spot on the feline's neck. Taligrahn flinched, then fell forward.

In a blur of motion, Po preceded to take out the other cultists, each time disarming them, and knocking them out with a few deft moves. Each seemed to fall in slow motion, and each of the master's eyes seemed to widen as if stiffened, they jaws dropping as if a weight was pressing against their chins.

And then, it was all over.

_See, warrior? The most obvious answer is not always the right one, _The voice said, and then it was gone, the feeling along with it.

Po now stood in the middle of the grounds, breathing heavily, taking in his surroundings. Cultists lay strewn about the area. Various items were scattered around, some intact, others clearly not. A building outside the walls stood burning, and the gates were nearly destroyed; bits and chunks of stone lay spread in the vicinity. Amongst all of the damage, the only things that stood out, was the Five, Shifu, Governor Hajian, and a number of citizens and servants, all of them gaping like fish.

"How… what… I…" the red panda stuttered, "Where did you learn how to do that?"

"Nowhere."

"Do you mean…?"

"Yes. _He_ did that."


	10. Chapter 10: The Escape, Part 1

Beta reader's still gone, so I am currently writing and posting beta-less. Again, mistakes are probably going to be up the wazoo, so bear with me! Anyways, new chappie is here after that little break Well, not so little but…

OOOOOOO

Shifu looked about at the confused looks of the Governor, and the citizens, and then gestured to the Five and Po to follow him. He led them to an empty area behind the palace, away from the continuing hub-bub at the front end, and dropped his voice to a low whisper once he stopped, "You mean Síamalyan, right?"

"Yes. He took over my body again!"

"We need to leave this place as soon as possible. No one must have an inkling of knowledge of where we are going, or of what exactly happened here. Do you all understand?"

"Yes, master!"

"Then follow me! Do exactly as I say, no questions asked."

The seven masters tightened their formation, and with a great leap, they sailed over the walls of the palace, to land on the ground outside. Ahead of them lay a forest, dark and murky as a dragon's shadow. With a glance at one another, the Five, Shifu, and the Dragon Warrior dashed into the trees. They rushed through the foliage, then skidded to a halt to hear an explosion, and shouts behind them.

"Those cultists don't ever give up, do they?" Shifu muttered. He turned to his students, "We need top split up. Crane, Po, you will be coming with me. Monkey, go with Mantis, Viper, you go with Tigress. Each group must go in completely different directions!" And so they were off. Monkey and Mantis kept going straight, Viper and Tigress went west, and the remaining three turned southeast.

OOOOOOO

Po, and Shifu ran full on into the woods, Crane flapping behind them. They crashed through tree branches galore, whipping and gashing at Po's face and chest multiple times. Over the din, Po shouted, "Why did we even split up?"

"To throw them off?"

"How is that going to help? They could easily track us down, they did twice!"

"Just run!"

"I am!"

"Keep running!"

"Why do you- WHOA!" A shot of energy whizzed by Po's ear, and he became aware of footsteps behind him.

"What was that?" Crane's hysterical voice was… well, hysterical. The aviate sounded as if he was insane.

"Cultists!"

"Trees! Now!" Shifu's command was lord an clear, and Shifu and Po leapt once again, to land in the treetops. Crane burst out behind them fractions of a second after them, and they began swinging and hopping from branch to branch. Each one groaned under the panda's weight, and he figured it was only a matter of time before one broke.

A slice of energy ripped through the trees, and Po's branch was severed just as he latched on to it. The warrior crashed to the mud face first, a sickening crack echoing into the night.

_How. Many. Times. Is. My. Nose. Gonna. BREAK!_ Dazed, the panda lifted his head from the mud, a sentence forming on his hips. "Son of a-"

A foot came down by his head, and a voice snarled out into the night, "Don't move."

OOOOOOO

The two females sprinted through the foliage. Tigress' hip burned like a fire, but her mind was too focused on her flight. A voice came from behind her, "When should we stop?"

"When those cultists give up!"

"I don't think they will!" **(AN: Have we deja'd this vu before?)**

A blast of energy shot by Tigress. More soon came, coming and going like arrows. The feline's world seemed to slow down as one came up behind her. She leapt, aiming to miss it, but it caught her. In the back.

She screamed, and fell to the ground. Agony shot through her slender form; Tigress though her life was truly over. A savage growl and yet another scream confirmed this fact as a cultist wolf appeared, his sword flashing to her neck. The tip prodded at her chin, and a growl was heard, "If you so much as twitch, you little scaly rope, the kitty will have a new decoration called a sword in her neck."

OOOOOOO

The simian ran at breakneck speeds, his insect partner perched precariously on his shoulder. Mantis spoke up, sounding rather frenzied, "When will they give up?"

"I'm not sure if they're going to do that!" **(AN: And yet again…)**

"Slow down!"

"Hell no!"

"Just- ACK!" Monkey tripped on a protruding tree root, sending Mantis flying into a bush. Monkey tried to right himself, but an energy blast hit the ground in front of his face. He scrambled back, Mantis at his side

A tiger stood over him, glowing fist pulled back, ready to blow out Monkey's brains at a moment's notice with a charged blow.

OOOOOOO

Rather intense and suspenseful, eh? That's why I warn you with story tags! R&R puh-lease, cause I wrote till 11:00PM on this chapter, and if you don't, there's gonna be no next chapter tomorrow. Yes! I have promised a chapter for you tomorrow!


	11. Chapter 11: The Escape, Part 2

I've decided to be nice, and I'm updating today instead of making you wait for a week! Beta's still gone, so I have to deal with things myself.

OOOOOOO

Po breathed a sigh of relief. At least it wasn't Taligrahn. But then, there was still more cultists on this one's tail.

The voice behind him seemed to drip with delight, "We got the Dragon Warrior. Time to work something out of him." A knee stabbed into his back, and a hand grabbed Po roughly by the nape, "Has he contacted you yet?"

"Who are you-"

"YOU KNOW WHO WE ARE TALKING ABOUT! Has he infiltrated your dreams? Has he taken control yet?"

"No!"

"STOP LYING! What has he told you?"

"Why should I tell you?"

"Because we're going to kill all of your friends, and if you still don't cooperate, we'll detach you from a vital!"

"What's a vital?"

"You don't need to know! Tell us the information we want! NOW!"

Po was stuck in a rut. If he told them, they would take him and bend him to their will. If he didn't, they still would, and they would kill the Five and Shifu. Indecision roiled through his mind, until he opened his mouth, intent on telling them everything.

"No, Po! Don't tell them!"

They all looked towards the source of the outburst. The red panda's eyes were wide with fear, and his arm was outstretched in unrealized desperation. He suddenly shrank back as the cultists came forth, blades at the ready.

OOOOOOO

"Sorry, I don't do piercings." Tigress rarely taunted her enemy, but the sentence was out before she could think. Viper gasped, fearing for her friend's life.

The wolf snarled, letting his sword nick the feline's neck, "Shut it, kitty!"

Outrage roiled within Tigress, but she wisely withheld it as she heard footsteps behind her, "How surprising, I got me a lovely tiger instead of the panda!" The voice of Taligrahn held a certain something; Tigress couldn't put her finger on it, but it wasn't good. No, not at all.

"Lay off the lady, will you?" The wolf stepped back obediently. Tigress leapt to her feet, ready to fend off the cultist officer, but a small energy blast knocked her back down, "It's been a while ever since I've had me a pussy cat, eh? Maybe you can make 'a while' into 'only recently'?"

_Is he…? Oh, no no no no no, hell NO! _Her eyes widened in disgust and horror, even further as the tiger's knee brushed against her nethers.

OOOOOOO

Monkey whimpered, fearing of what they were going to do to him, of which he had no idea. Would they just stop taunting him and kill him? Torture his every last sin and secret out? His fate seemed to be sealed as the tiger took a step closer, fist growing brighter by the second. "Tell me everything you know, or die!"

Being a former trickster and liar, a falsehood immediately flashed through the simian's mind, and his mouth opened to speak it. He had not even said the first word when the tiger snarled, "Don't lie! I know you were going to!"

"How would you?" Monkey retorted.

"Because your pulse and breathing sped up! Now-" He leaned in close, the pent up energy within the fist singing Monkey's fur, "-you will tell me what you know about the Dragon Warrior!"

Monkey's lips trembled, and, losing an internal battle, he began to speak.

OOOOOOO

Po saw this as his chance. He flipped himself over, legs kicking out to hit the nearest cultist. He flailed backwards, crashing into the others. The panda was on them before they hit the ground, punching one in the face and another one hard in the stomach. The first toppled down unconscious while the other one spat blood. Hearing a rustle behind him, Po dodged just in time, a bolt of energy meant for him hitting the cultist in the chest. The wolf gurgled, then fell to the ground dead.

The warrior whirled to meet the other one, a look of shock on the tiger's face. He had not expected to hit a comrade. His open mouth shut and drew itself into a thin line when he caught sight of Po. His fist came forward, glowing like an iron ready to brand. Po's hand shot out to catch it. He felt himself charged with energy, and instinctively drew his hand away from the source. The energy shot out as if it had a mind of its own, hitting the cultist full on in the face. He fell like a loose tapestry, joining his partner in the void of death.

OOOOOOO

She glanced at Viper, and that was all it took. She pushed up and flung Taligrahn off with a burst of strength, and a look of utter surprise appeared on his face as she screamed _"I'M NOT YOUR WHORE, YOU DAMN PERVERT!"_ Viper chose that moment to strike, moving in like lightning and striking with deadly accuracy. She might not have had fangs, but her tail made up for it, as she lashed every single part of him that she could. He scrambled up, the surprised face melting into an infuriated one as he unsheathed his sword. He slashed out, a wave of light trailing from it. Tigress and Viper leapt high, and it swept underneath them, slicing into the trees behind them. With many a groan the trees tilted, then went timber.

Seeing this, the two masters shot out from underneath them. The cultists stood there a moment too long. They moved, but it was too late, as the trees came crashing down to the ground. A chorus of shouts and screams broke into the night, and Tigress and Viper smirked at each other, before sprinting off into the distance.

OOOOOOO

Mantis, who had been hiding in the bush the entire time, chose this moment to assault the cultists. No one noticed him dart out of the bush, nor did they notice him skittering up their prone forms, striking specific pressure points to block their energy. Having started on the other cultists first, he struck out at the leader.

The tiger, being much more observant than his comrades, felt the tiny feet scurrying on his body, felt the claws strike out precisely. He swung his hand at the source, but it was too late. The pent up energy was released as the pathways were barricaded, starting a chain reaction that created an explosion of energy. A small shockwave spread into the surrounding forest, sending tigers and wolves alike flying like dolls. Monkey skidded through the foliage, Mantis landing in another shrub.

When the two masters shook themselves out of their stupor, one looked at the other, and they both burst out into laughter. High-fiving as best as they could, the insect hopped into Monkey's shoulder, and they both took off into the might, completely aware that no one was chasing them.

OOOOOOO

The ending was a bit rushed, but that's okay. R&R please! Remember that anonymous review is on, and that you won't get another chapter tomorrow if you don't and that you… Okay, I'll shut up now.


	12. Chapter 12: AN

Sorry guys, my mom went and grounded me for telling a lie. I had no internet access for a while because of it. Since I have it back now, I'll get an update out soon! Hopefully in 4 days or less!


	13. AN2

Okay people, I feel really ashamed of myself for neglecting this story for so long. There's no reason I should spit out an excuse for my absence, but I will anyway. My KFP vibe kinda fell away, and it was replaced by a strong Transformers vibe, plus I've been working on some other things. Hopefully, I can get back into a routine of writing this thing. I'll polish some of my older chapters before moving on to the new ones. Just a note though, no promises on the updates. I've learned it's not best to make a promise if you're not sure you'll keep yourself to it.


End file.
